Workplace Learning and Their Outcomes: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of an International Organization in Thailand

Abstract:

The study sought to discover participants’ definition of success and factors that they associated with the success and failure of workplace learning programs in an international organization in Thailand. The findings were used as the basis to offer suggestions for best practices in the workplace learning programs. The study employed hermeneutic phenomenology as the research methodology and used a random purposive sampling strategy to recruit 24 samples from three groups of employees; administrator and manager, white collar, and blue collar. Data collection methods were interviews, review of relevant document, and field notes. Participants’ definition of success fell into three categories (1) the reactions of stakeholders to the programs, and the extent to which the programs accomplished their goals and objectives; (2) benefits of the programs to stakeholders, including, employees, organization, and society; and (3) the programs’ capability to activate and promote continuous learning and development of employees and the organization. Both external and internal factors were associated with the success or failure of workplace learning programs. The external factors related to instructions that Headquarters supported and mandated, customer requirements, legal position of government agencies, economic crises, the advancement of hard skill, and the limitation of the organization’s evaluation practices for soft skill learning. The internal factors related to the organizational characteristics, organizational inputs, and the attributes and characteristics of individual employees. Such external and internal factors either enhanced or limited success in the organization’s workplace learning programs. Recommendations related to the critical roles and responsibilities of administrators, managers, HRD personnel, and employees in enhancing the success of workplace learning programs.